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Introducing our Experts by Experience

Published Friday 10 July 2020

Our wonderful Experts by Experience have been a part of the wider SEND team now for almost 4 months (we can't quite believe it either) and it's about time we let them take the stage.

Georgia and Chloe joined the team to ensure that the voice of young people with SEND in Hertfordshire is heard and recognised in all of our decision making. Their advice, knowledge and experience of the world of SEND has meant that our content and service information is constantly being reviewed and improved, and projects are being approached from a whole new perspective.

Anyway enough from us, over to Chloe and Georgia to give us a little more detail...

Would you mind telling us a little about yourselves?

Georgia:

'I’m Georgia, an EBE (expert by experience meaning I’m disabled and have gone through %$*£ but am working to help make sure others don’t). I wanted this job as since having cancer 10 years ago (leaving me temporarily blind, mute, unable to walk and nil by mouth) I care so much more about everyday life and love helping people. I have previously shown this by fund raising and volunteering full time at my local Cancer Research shop. As I said in my interview “this was the ideal job for me”'.

Chloe:

'Hello my name is Chloe and I wanted to be involved with SEND transformation to help other people with ideas and to give some my ideas across to people to see what they think about it.'

Georgia our Expert by Experience
Chloe our Expert by Experience

How do you think your experiences inform your work?

Georgia:

'Having been through cancer, I have become more caring and appreciative of all the little things in life. I was heart-broken at losing so much that I took for granted- sports, singing, having a good voice, remembering, etc. Having no friends through secondary school and college, having no social life whatsoever, not helped by a non-functional memory, naivety and no stress hormone.'

Chloe:

'The knowledge I get it helps me as I can take it into a other meeting or I can use in the work that I am doing, Which it good for me as I type it all up and go back and have a look at it if I need the knowledge again.'

How do you think your work will help others?

Georgia:

'All this work will be published and then seen by the public, helping to guide them to a better future, with a better experience than me. e.g. not having friends, social groups and events plus not being naive about the opportunities out there.'

Chloe:

'This will help other to grow in confidence to work in a team and to build a good work partnership with the member of the team as that is what you need to have when you are working in a team.'

Which part of the job have you enjoyed the most?

Georgia:

'Knowing how my work will benefit others and then actually seeing the results. e.g. Finding activities, education and work for people with SEND.'

Chloe:

'I enjoy working with HCC because I get to meet people now and be a part of a team.'

The impact of Chloe and Georgia's work so far has been huge, with permanent changes and improvements being made across a wide range of projects.

In the coming weeks Chloe and Georgia will be working closely with the digital SEND team on a crucial piece of content around Annual Health Checks. This kind of content simply couldn't be created and hold the same weight without our Experts by Experience, so watch this space!

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